Mechanism for patterning control of knitting machines



May 17, 1932. LAWSON ET L 1,858,301

MECHANISM FOR PATTERNING CONTROL OF KNITTING MACHINES Filed July 9, 1927 O 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 .13 ave 77/30 21s J07??? i/Lfl/Zl/S on, flozeri fllkawson,

May 17, 1932. J, ws ET AL 1,858,301

MECHANISM FOR PATTERNING CONTROL OF KNITTING MACHINES Filed July 9. 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 V Al m 5 Inveniows: Jo HW/L awso Ya, floiaeriflllawaon.

y 17, 1932- 'J LAWSON ET AL NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN L OF KNITTING MACHINES heets-Sheet I5 Filed July 9, 1927 liozwe wzfll'lawsan.

May 17, 1932. J. LAWSON ET AL MECHANISM FOR PATTERNING CONTROL OF KNITTING MACHINES Filed July 9, 1927 Sheet, -Sheef,

Inveniors John/Lawson, flozeriflliawaon, ayzz wyw,

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Patented May 17, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN LAWSON AND ROBERT H. LAWSON, OF PAWTUCKET, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNORS TO HEMPHILL COMPANY, OF CENTRAL FALLS, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS MECHANISM FOR PATTERN ING CONTROL OF KNITTING MACHINES Application filed July 9, 1927. Serial No. 204,590.

This invention relates to a system and method of and mechanism for patterning control for knitting machines, and more especially for circular knitting machines whereby certain changes in the appearance or character or pattern of the fabric may be very quickly made.

In order that the principle of the invention may be readily understood, and without limlting the invention to such applications of the broad principle of the invention, we have illustrated the application of such principle,

' first, to ahorizontal striper, second, to mechanism for'reversely plating in lengthwise or inclined lines and, third, for jacquard work with particular reference to reverse platlng.

In the accompanying drawings: Fig. 1 is an end elevation of a reverse plating mechanism of a circular knitting machine which is modified in accordance with the principle of our invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the dial disk of such machine;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section upon the lin l212 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section upon the line 13-13 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a detail in vertical section upon the line'lklt of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the dial with the ring removed and showing one pattern or arrangement of the stationary jack like members;

Fig. 7 is a similar view but of another pattern or arrangement of the jack like members;

Fig. 8 is a vertical central section taken through either Fig. 6 or Fig. 7 and Fig. 9 is a plan view of the machine having our invention applied thereto.

The purpose of the invention is to provide for the very quick change of the pattern in a knitting machine and particularly in a knitting machine for making seamless stockings. There is at the present time a very great demand for hosiery patterned or fig ured with stripes, spots or other appearances caused either by a substitution of yarns or by a reverse plating operation. Hosiery manufacturers find it necessary'to produce and'fparticularly is this so in the production 7 of stockings having reversely plated areas. The important feature of .the present invention is the equipment of knitting machines, and particularly of seamless hosiery knitting 'machines, with means whereby the pattern may be very quickly changed;- We have in this application shown the adaptation of our invention to three difierent types of seamless hosiery knitting machines, but it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to such types of adaptations, which, however, are selected as representative of the system or method of the invention. The first of the mechanisms selected for illustration of the practice or application of the invention is a circular knitting machine having means to make horizontal stripes, either narrow or wide, by the substitution of yarns or threads. The term stitch variation as herein employed, includes a substitution of yarns or threads brought about by mechanisms specified in the claim or claims. Stitch variation as the term is herein employed, may be of structure or of appearance, the variation of appearance being accomplished in various ways, one of which is by substitution of yarn. One variation of structure is by reverse plating. The second machine chosen to illustrate the application of the invention is a so-called diagonal striper wherein lengthwise or inclined stripes are produced by normal and reverse plating. The remaining illustration is of a simple device whereby a pattern may be assembled for quick application to the jacquard drum of a so-called jacquard knitting machine adapted to make hosiery having normal andreverse lating, the figuring whereof is controlled y the arrangement of the jacquard drum or member.

The purpose in each embodiment of the invention is to provide a series of very quickly interchangeable pattern members or parts,

' like members.

any one of which can, within a minute or two thereby meeting the demands of the public.

In the figures of the drawings we have illustrated the preferred embodiment of our invention, wherein the same is applied to the so-called diagonal striper of the patent to Robert H. Lawson, No. 1,605,896, dated November 2, 1926. By the mechanism of the said'patent, stripes, figures and patterns in normal and reverse plating may-be made.

As shown in said patent, a plurality of disks 44, 45 are used, each having means to act upon special instrumentalities in the nature of sinkers or web holders, so as to cause reverse plating to occur at predetermined times. In improved forms of the broad invention disclosed in said patent the disks are provided with radiating ooves in which jack-like members or devlces are placed inaccordance with the pattern. Such jack-like devices may be removed from the disk bv disassembling the parts of each disk and rearranging said ack- This, however, takes con siderable time. In accordance with our invention as applied to a machine of the'type shown in the said Lawson patent, the disks themselves have been so reconstructed or improved as to render readily detachable therefrom the entire series of the jack-like members and their immediatel cooperating parts, whereupon any one o a number of other prepared and assembled arts may be substituted. This change can e made in a very brief period of time probably not exceeding two or three minutes and with the substitution made the entire change of pattern is therefore quickly possible. We will therefore describe sufliclent of such type of machines to show the application of our invention thereto.

' Referring first to Fig. 1 and also referring to said Lawson Patent No. 1,605,896 for details of operation, it is pointed out that the sinker cam ring is provided with teeth 93 extending entirely about the same. Meshing therewith are two gears 94, 95 fast upon spindles 96, 97 in suitable bearings 98, 99, carried upon brackets mounted upon the bed plate of the machine. The number of teeth 93 is desirably equal to that of the number of needles in the machine or bears some fixed ratio thereto. Upon the spindles 96, 97 are fast the collars 100, 101 and upon the upper ends of said spindles are respectively positioned the pattern disks to which our invention more particularly relates and which are generally indicated at 102, 103.

Instead of employing the fixed members 46, 47 of the Lawson patent upon the disks 44, 45, we provide within grooves in a member of each disk removable jacks of the general type shown in our application Serial No.'145,512.

Referring now to Figs. 2 to 5, it will be observed that the spindle 96 serves as a support for certain parts of the dial disk for ready removal and substitution of other parts. It is to be understood that the spindle 97 is similarly equipped.

Above the gear 94 there is provided upon the spindle 96 an annular or disk like base member 104 provided with an upstanding sleeve or hub like portion 105 fitting suitably upon the spindle but not secured thereto..

Depending from the lower side of the disk 104 is a projection 106 shown also in Fig. 1. Said projection extends downward through an opening 107 of the gear 94 and in ears or brackets 108, 109 provided on the under face of said gear are set screws 110, 111 to take against opposite sides of said projection 106. By this or equivalent means the disk 104 may be circumferentially adjusted so as to bring the jack-like members of each disk into absolutely proper relation to the special instrumentalities of the said Lawson patent, it being understood that the opening 107 is sufficiently elongated circumferentially of the gear 94 to permit the desired adjustment.

The disk 104 is preferably provided with an annular upstanding flange 112 whereon is received the jack receiving'memberor disk 113. As shown most clearly in Fig. 6, the said member 113 is providedwith grooves 114 which preferably are not quite radial. The said grooves are provided entirely about the upper face of the said disk 113 and therein are positioned, according to the desired pattern, the jack-like members 115. Overlying the disk 113 is a cap like member or disk 116 secured to the disk 113 by screws 117. Directly overlying the jack-like members 115 is a ring or annulus 118, and as shown most clearly in Fig. 18 we preferably provide springs 119 for holding fixedly or removably in position the ring or annulus 118. The said springs are held in position by screws 120. In order to remove the ring 118, it is merely necessary to remove one of each pair of screws 120, and then to force the outer end of each spring 119 inwardly to clear the ring 118.

Surrounding the hub 105 at its upper end is a collar 121 which rests upon a hub or upstanding sleeve-like portion 123 of the disk 113. The said collar 121 has secured thereto a pointer 122 and upon reference to Fig. 9, it will be observed that thetwo pointers 122 of the two disks point to marks 123' upon the knitting machine head, thus indicating just how to set the substitute disk Referring to Figs. 3, 4, and 5, it will be observed that the jack carrier disk 113 is provided with a depending pin 124 fitting snugly but in a readily removable manner into a socket or opening 125 in the disk 104. The

said disk 104 is provided with an adjusting distribution of jack-like members 115, it is merely necessary to remove a collar 127 secured by set screws 128 to the upper end of the spindle 96 and to remove the collar 121 with the pointer 122, whereupon the disks 104 and 113 are removed as an entirety together with the jack-like members 115, etc. If necessary, the screws 110 and 111 may be loosened for such removal.

In Fig. 7, we have represented another arrangement of jack-like members 115, thus indicating another pattern that may be quickly substituted for that contained in the disk head of Fig. 6.

Having thus described certain illustrative embodiments of the mechanism of the invention and having explained the method and system of our invention, we desire it to be understood that although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims.

1. A diagonal reverse plating, circular,

I independent needle, knitting machine of the &,

so-called Banner type having a rotary ele-' ment of the knitting head, a spindle having a gear fast thereon in mesh with and driven by a gear upon said rotary element; a disklike base member carried by said spindle above said spindle gear, and having a quickly detachable driving connection with said spindle gear; a jack receiving member mounted upon said base member; said base member and said jack receiving member hav ing interengaging formations and permitting ready separation but causing the driving of the jack receiving member when so engaged, and separate jack-like members supported upon said receiving member and adapted to cooperate with instrumentalities at the knitting head in effecting change in plating. v

2. A diagonal reverse plating, circular, independent needle, knitting machine of the so-called Banner type having a rotary element of the knitting head, a spindle having a gear fast thereon in mesh with and driven by a gear upon said rotary element; a disk-like base member 104 carried by said spindle and having a quickly detachable driving connection with the spindle gear; a jack receiving disk 113 received upon said base member and having a readily detachable driving connection therewith; jack-like members carried by said receiving member and adapted to be arranged thereon in accordance with the'desired pattern, means for maintaining said jack-like members in position upon said receiving member; said base member 104 and said jack receiving disk 113 being readily removable as an entirety from said spindle without disengagement of the spindle gear from the gear of the knitting head. v 3. A diagonal reverse plating, circular, independent needle, knitting machine of the so-called Banner type having a rotary element of the knitting head, a spindle having a gear fast thereon in mesh with and driven by a gear upon said rotary element; a diskli (e base member loosely carried by said spindle at one face of said spindle gear and having a quickly detachable driving connection with said spindle gear, a jack receiving disk mounted upon said base member,- said two members having an interengaging formation permitting ready separation of said memers; patterning members assembled in patterning position upon said jack-receiving member; a ring overlying said patterning ble of circumferential adjustment with respect to said gear; a .jack receiving disk 113 received. upon said base member and having connection 124 with said base member, thereby permitting ready separation; separate jack-like members supported upon said receiving member and adapted to act upon special sinkers or instrumentalities at the knitting head in effecting change in plating; a

cap-like member 116 secured to the disk 113;

a ring 118 overlying the jack-like members; and means to hold said ring 118 in position, said members 104, 113 being readily removable as an entirety, thereby permitting the ready substitution of similar parts with a different distribution of jack-like members in predetermined position thereon.

5. A reverse plating, circular, independent needle, knitting machine having a rotary element of the knitting head, a spindle having a gear fast thereon and driven by a gear upon said rotary element; a disk-like base member carried by said spindle and having a quickly detachable driving connection with said spindle gear; a jack receiving member mounted upon said base member; said base member and said jack receiving member hav ing interengaging formations permittin ready separation but causing the driving 0 the jack receivingmember when so engaged, and separate jack-like members supported upon said receiving member and adapted to cooperate with instrumentalities at the knitting head in effecting change in plating.

V In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specification.

JOHN LAWSON. ROBERT H. LAWSON. 

